With the increase in the overall number of mobile radio communications device handsets in use, and a corresponding increase in their level of functionality, operational aspects relating in particular to network considerations such as quality and volume of data to be transmitted/received, and/or service potential due to overload conditions are becoming increasing important.
Various mechanisms are known for seeking to allocate radio resources between the various cells, radio bearers, and handset devices that may be found within a network.
For example, in the context of LTE standardization process in 3GPP, it has been agreed that UL resource allocation will be performed at the eNobeB (eNB) side. This means that the eNB will have to allocate resources for each UE in the cell. Such resources to be granted by eNB can comprise an indication of the number of bits that can be transmitted in a given TTI period. Such resources are granted on a per UE basis and not per radio bearer.
Once a given UE has been granted its resource capacity, it has to share this UL resource between its configured radio bearers. This is achieved by a “Rate Control” algorithm. The Rate Control algorithm will decide how many bits from each UL Radio Bearer (RB) will be transmitted on a per TTI basis. The algorithm can use the resource capacity that it has been allocated as well as the Quality of Service (QoS) parameters of each RB.
In addition, it is considered that the UE should be arranged to calculate data that can be sent to the eNB in order to assist with the UL resource allocation to be achieved in the eNB for each of the UE devices.
However, matters of UL signaling overhead arise in relation to such a scenario and can prove disadvantageously limiting.